Ryu’s Dining: Absolutely fantastic Chinese Food in a laid back and family friendly environment. Often times, you can find owner and chef Yifeng visiting with patrons. Open only for dinner. 098-936-8229 Cha Tan 2-2-8, Cha Tan Town, Okinawa. Directions: Generally speaking, it’s tucked in the area West of 58, across from Foster, behind Book Box, but you have to take a round about way to get there. Take a left out of Foster’s “The Spot Gate” and cross 58. Take the left at the first light after 58. Take the next left turn (like you’re going to Mike’s Tex Mex) and take the right turn as the road ends. Follow this street past the pachinko parlors and over the bridge. Take a right turn immediately after the bridge, following the stream for a block or two. Ryu’s is the yellow restaurant on the left at the T.Peter’s Place: Very reasonably chinese food with large portions. Very friendly chefs and order who will customize any dish requested. Open Thur-Sun, from 10:00am-2:30pm and 4:30pm -10:00pm. Directions: From Kadena Gate 2, take a right onto 330. Once you pass the Plaza House shopping center, Peter’s Place will be on the left directly after Kadena Oil gas station. The drive for it is right after the building which leads to a parking lot at the bottom of a little hill.

Peacock: Wonderful Chinese food for about in a glam setting with Chinese screens, sculptures and art. 098-897-3548. Open for lunch 11:30am-3:00pm (last order 2:30pm). Dinner 5:30pm-11:00pm (last order 10:30pm). Closed Wednesdays and holidays. Directions: Head south on 58. Pass Camp Foster. Count two lights after the Futenma intersection (also, look for Jimmy’s, which is next to it) and turn left into the Peacock’s parking area. Restaurant is on the 2nd floor.

Plaza House Chinese Restaurant: Great chinese food featuring full course bilingual menus. Directons: From Foster, take a LEFT from the Foster Exchange Gate onto 330. Pass the intersection for Awase Golf Course at route 22 and look out for Plaza House Shopping Center on your RIGHT side. The Plaza House Chinese Restaurant is on the far corner of the plaza. Parking is also available in the garage underneath the main shopping area (the entrance is on the other side of the KFC).

JAPANESE:

CoCo’s Ichibanya (CoCo’s Curry): A Japanese chain of restaurants found over many places on the island. Press the plastic button on your table and point to the pictures when your server arrives to order. 098-926-1851 for the one on Rte 23.

Kitakaisen: One of the best sushi restaurants on the island with other items on the menu. Monday is half price sushi and Wednesdays are 20% for the ladies. Mon-Thur draft beer 250y. Open 5:00pm-1:00am daily. 098-936-7373. From Kadena: Take a LEFT onto Hwy 58 from KAB Gate 1. Take the first LEFT onto 23. Turn RIGHT at the 1st light (at this intersection you’ll see a sign on the far right corner that says Chatan Sports Center and has a bowling pin at the top). Look out on your right for a bright yellow sign that says Chatan Sports Center. Turn RIGHT just before the sign into a large parking lot. Kitakaisen is located above the bowling alley on the 2nd floor of the building off to your right.

Yomitan Story (Yomitan Monogatari): A popular izakaya destination for visitors with some of the best japanese food and atmosphere. Wonderful drinks and authentic japanese food. No children allowed. Directions: Take route 6 past Torii Station toward Cape Zampa. When you see the BIG Fisherman’s Wharf sign on the side of the building (a Lawson’s?) turn left. Follow the road to the Fisherman’s Wharf restaurant. Yomitan Story is right across from it.

Hills Dining Sasa: A beautiful and elegant izakaya restaurant, more on the fine dining end of the spectrum. Has wonderful fish with a large japanese gathering with a menu in english as well. For the non seafood eaters, there is also pork, chicken and beef. Open Mon-Fri 6:00pm-1:00am, Sat-Sun: 6:00pm-2:00am. 098-935-4888. Directions: From Foster: Leave Foster Legion Gate (the one w/ Sam’s Anchor in near it) and go straight. Follow the road down the hill. You’ll see a Family Mart on the right and also Ocean Pet Store. The road will turn red and becomes lined w/ palm trees. At the light after the Pet Store, make a left. There’s also a soba shop on that corner. The road will take you up a steep-ish hill. Hills Dining Sasa is the first two-story building on your right.

Bambohe: A fun place to dine that is very inexpensive. A Yakiniku dining experience, similar to a mongolian barbeque type atmosphere where you choose your food and cook it in a grill in the middle of your table. Directions: near Kokusai Street.

Tonneau (The Barrel Restaurant): An izakaya with a large variety of sushi, yakatori, fried rice and shrimp tempura. Also has a large selection of Italian food. Tonneau is open for dinner starting at 5pm every day. Directions: Come out of Kadena gate 2 and take a left on 330. Continue on 330 past 329 where the name changes to 75. Look for the blue signs showing you crossing 224. At the first light after 224 you will take a right between an A&W and Daikon no Hana. Continue down this street for about 1/2 a kilometer. You’ll go through one stop light and then you’ll see the giant barrel off to your right. You can’t miss it.

Sushi Zen: Busy nightlife sushi restaurant with other menu items available. Open Monday-Thursday 5:30pm-10:30pm, Friday & Saturday 5:30pm-11:00pm, closed Sundays. Directions: Going north on 58 from Camp Foster, turn left at the Pizza Inn intersection, just before Kadena Gate 1. Continue down this road, and turn right at the last traffic light before the sea wall. Sushi Zen will be on your left side on that next block. Parking is minimal, but there are some street spaces if you get creative.

Su Su Soon: Sushi, pancakes, fruit, soup, shakes and salads. The lunch menu is much more affordable than the dinner menu. Open Tuesday -Friday from 11:00am-2:30pm. Dinner 5:00pm-10:00pm (last seating at 9pm) and Weekends 9:00am-10:00pm (last seating at 9pm). 098.936.6237. Directions: From 58 northbound make a LEFT at the light where the Family Mart/Pizza Inn/GI Bill Pay shopping center is (just before Gate 1). At the first light, make a LEFT, it’s on your right side immediately behind a banana yellow apartment building. The driveway to the parking lot is immediately on the right after you turn – it’s small though, only holds about 4-5 cars max. When I met friends they walked from the Pizza Inn lot.

Awase Fish Market: A variety of fresh seafood including fish, clams, lobster and octopus to name a few. There’s other items for sale like fruits, veggies and baked breads. The restaurant next door will even cook up your fresh seafood finds. Open daily 10:30am-6:00pm during the summer and closes at 5:30pm in Winters. The restaurant opens daily at 11:00am and closes with the market. Directions: See map 20 in the phone book and find the 85 that travels along the water (if you follow that same road south, it becomes the 227 and head to the Prefectural comprehensive park). On this portion of the 85, there is an intersection marked with signs for SanA, MosBurger, “Japanese restaurant” and Kanehide. The stoplight marked on the map north of that is right by the port – turn in there and park. Once you park and turn facing towards Route 85, not the sea, you’ll see a while building with a rail-fence along the roofline.

Orange Diner: Serving lunch and dinner in Chatan Town in Minato with several rice bowls with various meats, salmon and breads. They have takeout as well. Open Tuesday-Sunday from 12:00pm-12:00am. 098-995-7000. If a Japanese holiday falls on a Monday, they will be closed the next day. Directions: From Kadena Gate 1, turn left on Hwy 58. Turn right at the third stoplight (you’ll see Toyohanten and Sega building). Go straight on this road. Make a left at the street after the second traffic light. Then, turn right on the second street (there’s a clothing store and a beauty/convenience store at this intersection). Orange Diner will be on the left side (across the street from a flower shop). You’ve gone too far if you reach the seawall).

Sora: Only open for lunch and the place you want to go to try a traditional Okinawan meal with soups, fish and chicken served buffet style. Open 11:00am-3:00pm daily, closed on Sunday. They will open for dinner if you have a large party and call ahead. Directions: From highway 58, turn onto highway 23. Before you reach Kadena gate 5, you’ll take a right at American Family Housing. Go down that street and look for a blue Sora sign on the right (you’ll see a car lot on the left). Turn right at the sign and go down a steep hill. Parking is on the left and the restaurant is on the right.

“The Noodle Place”: Yummy japanese food with large portions. Directions: Across from the McDonald’s in American Village, next to the Sega arcade. It’s a great lunch stop, especially if you are near Camp Foster or Kadena.

The Sushi Go-Around: Fantastic sushi offered to you from a conveyor belt. There’s also a menu available and non-sushi menu items available to those in your party who want an alternative. Directions: It’s also in American Village, the sushi-go-round across the street from the Makeman store.

Big House Restaurant: Great restaurant in the Nago area from a visit to the aquarium situated in a picturesque environment The restaurant is open all year round. Open for lunch 11:00am-5:00pm and dinner from 6:00pm-10:00pm. 098-053-0280. Directions: Take Highway 58 North. Turn left on Route 84. At the 3rd stop light. Take a LEFT. There is a sign for Ufuya at the 2nd stop light as well, but this road is very narrow and reserved for the residents during the day, but it is open for customers at night. The restaurant is asking customers to turn left at the 3rd stoplight. Follow the sign and you’ll get to the restaurant.